Cable slitter



w. F. GRANT CABLE SLITTER Sept. 4, 1956 Filed April 14, 1955 Walter F. Grant INVENTOR.

9 BY flow; 19m

IIIII I United States Patent CABLE SLITTE'R Walter F. Grant, Bellingham, Wash. Application April 14, 1955, Serial No. 501,379

6 Claims. (Cl. 30--91) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in cable slitters, or strippers, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a hand tool comprising novel means for expeditiously slitting with a minimum of effort any desired portion of the non-metallic armor or sheaths found on power, telephone and other cables.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a tool of the aforementioned character which will accommodate various sizes of cables within a given range and which, further, may be expeditiously and accurately adjusted to slit armor of different thicknesses.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a cable slitter of the character described comprising a stationary but rotatably adjustable cutting disk whereby a new edge portion may be brought into position for use when desired.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a cable slitter of the character set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efiicient and reliable in use, compact, light in weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing a cable slitter constructed in accordance with the present invention .in use;

Figure 2 is a View in vertical longitudinal section through the device;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional View, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cutting unit, showi ng the parts separated.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises an elongated body 6 of suitable insulating material, said body being of a shape and dimensions to be firmly and comfortably gripped in the hand. Toward this end, the side portions of the lower portion of the body 6 are provided with finger receiving undulations or recesses "I. Extending through the body 6 from end to end thereof is a forwardly inclined bore 8 for the reception of a cable to be split, as at 9.

Upper and lower plates 10 and 11, respectively, of plastic or other suitable material are recessed into the upper forward end portion of the body 6 and secured by screws 12. An adjustable cutting unit 13 is mounted on the plates ll) and 11. The unit 13 includes an internally threaded tube or sleeve 14 which is journaled in an opening provided therefor in the plate 10 and which is provided on its upper end with an operating knob or head 15. At its lower end, the sleeve 14 com- 2,761,211 Patented Sept. 4, 1956 prises an external flange 16 which is engaged between the plates 10 and 11 for rotatably securing said sleeve in position.

The cutting unit 13 furtherincludcs a shank 17 which is threaded for adjustment in the sleeve .14 and which depends therefrom into the body 6. The lower end portion of the shank 17 is longitudinally slotted to provided bifurcations 18 having aligned square openings 19 therein. The openings 19 are for the reception of a remova-- ble, rotatably adjustable, square indicating pin 20 having: a head 21 on one end. Mounted on the indicating pin. 20 between the bifurcations 18 is a cutting disk 22. The disk 22 comprises a square centrally located opening 23 which accommodates the indicating pin 20. The construction and arrangement, it will be observed, is such that the disk 22 is positively held against rotation.

The disk 22 is adjusable in a slot 24 in the upper portion of the body 6 and the lower plate 11, said slot com municating with the bore 8 and including an enlarged intermediate portion 25 which accommodates the shank 17. The indicator pin 20 is operable in a lateral groove or channel 26 in the upper portion of the body 6 which communicates with the intermediate portion 25 of the slot 24. The indicator pin 20 is cooperable with a scale 27 on the body 6 immediately adjacent the slot or channel 26.

The body 6 has. formed longitudinally in the lower portion thereof a slot 28 which communicates throughout its length with the bore 8. A finger operated pressure bar 29 is pivotally mounted, as at 30,. on the body 6 and operable in the slot 28 for engaging the cable 9 with the cutting disk 22. The exposed lower portion of the bar 29 is provided with finger receiving undulations or recesses 31. The pressure bar 29 still further includes an inner face 32 of arcuate cross-section for engagement with the cable 9.

Adjacent the forward end thereof, lugs 33 project laterally from the bar 29. The lugs 33 are operable in recesses or notches 34 in the side walls of the slot 28 and the bore 8. The recesses 34 also accommodate coil springs 35 which are engaged with the lugs 33 for yieldingly urging the bar 29 outwardly to inoperative position on the body 6.

It is thought that the operation or use of the device will be readily apparent from consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the portion of the cable 9 to be stripped is inserted in the bore 8 from the forward end of the body 6. The cutting disk 22 is then set or adjusted for the thickness of the sheath or armor 36 of the cable 9 by turning the sleeve 14 in an obvious manner. Correct adjustment of the cutting disk may be facilitated by reading the indicator 20 against the scale 27. The indicator 20 travels in the slot or channel 26. The slot 24 prevents the cutting disk 22 from turning with the sleeve.

14. With the fingers of the hand which grips the body 6, the bar 29 is then swung upwardly in said body against.

the tension of the coil springs 35 for pressing the cable. against the cutting disk 22. In this manner the cutting:

disk 22 is caused to penetrate the sheath or armor of} the cable. The cable 9 is then pulled outwardly or forwardly for causing the cutting disk 22 to longitudinally split the sheath or armor 36 of said cable. When the portion of the cutting disk 22 which is in use becomes. worn or dull, the unit 13 is removed from the body' 6 by unscrewing the screws 12. The indicator pin 20 may now be removed from the shank 17 to permit the cutting disk 22 to be rotatably adjusted to bring a new or unused portion of the edge thereof into position foruse.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous. modifications and changes will readily occur to those.

skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A cable armor slitter of the character described comprising: a body having a bore therein for the reception of a cable, a cutting disk in the bore for slitting the cable, and a bar pivotally mounted on the body and operable in the bore for engaging the cable with said disk.

2. A cable armor slitter comprising: an elongated body to be gripped in the hand, said body having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough for the reception of a cable and further having a longitudinal slot therein communicating with the bore, a cutter mounted in the bore, and a bar, operable by the fingers of the hand which grips the body, pivotally mounted in the slot and engageable with the cable for engaging said cable with the cutter.

3. A cable slitter comprising: an elongated body having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough for the reception of a cable, said body further having a longitudinal slot therein communicating with the bore and still further having recesses therein on opposite sides of the slot and the bore and communicating therewith, a cutter mounted in the bore, a manually operable bar pivotally mounted in the slot and engageable with the cable for engaging said cable with the cutter, lateral lugs on the bar operable in the recesses, and coil springs in the recesses engaged with said lugs for disengaging the bar from the cable.

4. A cable slitter comprising: a body having a bore therein for the reception of a cable, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said body, a shank threadedly mounted for a adjustment in the sleeve and projecting therefrom into the body, a stationary cutting disk on said shank projecting into the bore, and a bar pivotally mounted on the body for engaging the cable with the cutting disk.

5. A cable slitter comprising: a body having a bore therein for the reception of a cable, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said body, a shank threadedly mounted for adjustment in the sleeve and projecting therefrom into the body, a stationary cutting disk on said shank projecting into the bore, and means for engaging the cable with the cutting disk said body having a slot therein communicating with the bore, said means including a bar pivotally mounted in the slot in opposed relation to the cutting disk and engageable with the cable for engaging said cable with said cutting disk.

6. A cable slitter comprising: a body having a bore therein for the reception of a cable and further having a channel therein, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said body, a shank threadedly mounted for adjustment in the sleeve and projecting therefrom into the body, said shank including bifurcations on its inner end having polygonal openings therein, a polygonal indicator pin removably mounted in the openings and operable in the channel, a stationary cutting disk removably mounted on the indicating pin between the bifurcations and having a poly onal opening therein accommodating said indicating pin, said disk projecting into the bore, and means for engaging the cable with the cutting disk, said body having a scale thereon adjacent the channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

